The odd ways of ideas

Dear reader,

It keeps surprising me in what strange ways ideas for stories can come to me. It doesn’t take much, that is obvious to me already. It can be a sound, something I see of smell, or a few words I happen to read somewhere. In the latter case I often don’t even remember where I saw the words but they stick in my mind and refuse to let go until I’ve applied their use to a story, or perhaps a chapter.

It happened again a little while ago. I have just finished the rework for Hilda 17 and sent that off to my editor, Carol. I’ve started writing Hilda 18, and I’m working on a few other bits and pieces. And still this idea-mechanism is running full steam ahead. On Google+ I saw an image. A funny one. And then…

…there I had the idea for Hilda 19. While book 18 isn’t even remotely done. Can you believe that this habit, or trait, or whatever you call it, can actually be draining? Sometimes I don’t want to leave my house as I’m almost scared that more ideas will hit me, more reasons to write stories and books, on top of the incredible pile that’s already there.

Do note that I’m not complaining about all those ideas. On the contrary. I know how many writers are struggling to get something going in their writing. I’m ‘suffering’ from the opposite, which probably is much better. It just requires a lot of discipline from my end to sit down and finish one idea before I throw myself at the next one. That is the curse writers can face: they start a lot and finish hardly anything. I don’t want to fall into that trap.

And in case you hadn’t noticed: the Hilda series isn’t about to stop yet. 🙂

4 thoughts on “The odd ways of ideas”

That is indeed the opposite of what a lot of writers experience. I think you can manage the dicipline. If it’s vivid enough in your head the idea will stick no matter what, if you’re scared to forget it before you’ve finished your current project just make a quick note to spark the idea again.
Again, I don’t think you need to worry about. On the one hand I envy you a little, on the other I can at least imagine the stress it can produce if you give into it too easily.
I know my share of ‘odd ways of ideas’ – I feel with you 😉
Good piece.

Yes indeed, Paul. I am not inspired as I once was. But ideas tend to form in funny ways. I have a short story called Matthew Won’t Fit, inspired by a name that wouldn’t fit all the way into a name field of 13 characters. In reality I had to shorten the name from Joseph Higgins to Joe Higgins, for example. But the thought struck me that we could have a guy who didn’t fit into society, and he was told his name would have to be shortened to Matt because “Matthew won’t fit.” Cue a flashback to when he got stuck in a fence as a child as his friends scrambled through fleeing a farmer. “Matthew won’t fit!” the children are screaming. 🙂

Hahaha, that is really a cute short story. It does fit many people though – they don’t fit into society. And that can be for better or worse. Sometimes I feel in that position too, but there’s always something or someone who nudged me over the dividing line to fit in again.
May your ideas continue to flow, Rich! And maybe some day we’ll toast on that. Not with toast.